The Utah Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors and the Utah Chapter of the Design Build Institute of America Rocky Mountain Region have formed an official partnership to strengthen and develop best practices in the design-build community in Utah. The partnership brings together two entities from the nonresidential construction industry into one working group.“The value of this partnership is two-fold,” said Chris Hipwell, ABC Utah chapter president. “In addition to growing the design-build community here in Utah, ABC and DBIA will develop a cohesive effort for training and development through the partnerships’ programs.“This will allow Utah to stay current on
Lerch Bates, a Denver international consulting firm for vertical transportation, façade access and materials management, has been selected by MANICA Architecture to provide vertical transportation and façade access consulting services for the construction of VTB Stadium and Arena in Moscow, Russia. The massive project will include construction of a stadium and an indoor arena within a single building enclosure. VTB Stadium and Arena, one of the largest projects currently being developed in the Russian Federation, features the redevelopment of historic Dynamo Stadium and the surrounding park. The exterior façade of the old stadium will be incorporated into the construction of
Transportation construction projects from across the country were recognized on June 3 for their contributions to environmental protection and mitigation. The American Road & Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation’s (ARTBA-TDF) sponsored the 14th annual “Globe Awards” held in Washington, D.C. as part of the association’s Federal Issues Program. The Globe Awards recognize: • Private-sector firms and public-sector transportation agencies that do an outstanding job of protecting or enhancing the natural environment in the planning, design and construction of U.S. transportation infrastructure projects • Transportation construction-related product manufacturers and material suppliers that utilize exemplary environmental processes to protect and enhance the
The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation recently released the May 2013 Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry (MCI-EFI). Designed to collect leadership data, the index reports a qualitative assessment of both the prevailing business conditions and expectations for the future as reported by key executives from the $725-billion equipment finance sector. Overall, confidence in the equipment-finance market is 56.7, an increase from the April index of 54.0, reflecting industry participants’ increasing optimism despite continuing concerns over the economy and the impact of federal policies on capital expenditures. When asked about the outlook for the future, MCI survey respondent Aylin
Justin Cooper has been named a vice president at GE Johnson Construction, Denver and Colorado Springs. Since joining the firm in 1998, Cooper has led preconstruction, team integration and development on more than 5 million sq ft of health care projects, including five new hospital campuses. Related Links: Engineering News Record Architectural Record Shannon Rogers has also been named a vice president at GE Johnson. Starting in 2006, Rogers developed the firm's in-house building information modeling team and systems integration group, which now includes nine design and construction professionals.Jim Starling, a veteran Regional Transportation District project manager who oversaw the
Following the first reversal into negative territory in 10 months in April, the Architecture Billings Index bounced back in May. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine- to 12-month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects reported the May ABI score was 52.9, up dramatically from a mark of 48.6 in April. This score reflects an increase in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 59.1, up slightly from the reading of 58.5 the previous
Despite the still sluggish economy, Broomfield, Colo.-based MWH Global is coming off its best year ever, with $1.6 billion in worldwide revenue for 2012. The wet-infrastructure and water-engineering company is not only ranked No. 5 among the largest design firms in both the Colorado and Intermountain areas but also consistently earns top honors in international markets as well. Related Links: A Conversation With MWH Global CEO Alan Krause MWH Opens Office in Ethiopia The key to the company's growth can be best summed up with one phrase: "Thinking globally, acting locally." MWH provides design, consulting and construction management services to
An important new women's business center in Afghanistan opened at the end of May. It is aimed at educating entrepreneurs who want to start their own businesses in the war-torn country. Related Links: Petra Master Plan Wins National Design Award U.S. Rebuilding Efforts in Afghanistan The International Center for Afghan Women's Economic Development is also the new home for the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council, several other nongovernmental organizations and a university program focusing on women's economic development. The center, designed by Denver-based architectural and interior design firm Burkett Design, is located on the campus of American University of Afghanistan (AUAF). It
Regional design firms are decidedly more upbeat than in previous years. They report an upswing in several markets, most notably multifamily, mixed-use, offices, energy and some public-works sectors. Big concerns include the decline in funding for institutional work, finding enough qualified people to do the work and ongoing uncertainty about the long-term health of the economy. Related Links: Regional Designers Push for More Diverse Services Regional Design Firms Hurting From Flat Economy, Stalled Projects However, many regional design firm leaders think the local economies in Salt Lake City, Boise and Denver will continue to improve and remain stronger than in
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